


Touch

by alistairins



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, Halamshiral, The Winter Palace (Dragon Age)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-05
Updated: 2015-05-05
Packaged: 2018-03-29 03:16:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,140
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3880171
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alistairins/pseuds/alistairins
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The peace talks were over, and ended as favorably as possible for the Inquisition. Now Cullen remains alone, and thinking about what he should have done. He should have kissed her, danced with her, touched her more, but he let every opportunity slip from his fingers.<br/>He wasn't about to let the night end without at least saying goodnight to her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Commander's Regret

**Author's Note:**

> So this fic was super long so I decided to break up into chapters. Not sure how I feel about it, it might make it seem more... awkward.
> 
> But here it is.
> 
> Also my first attempt at writing something like this, so that might be why it's awkward lmao

It had been a _very_ long night for the wary commander. Dancing, lies, mingling with nobility, more lies, talking politics, and a few more lies. Add in the fact that he had to sneak in soldiers and keep a constant lookout without drawing suspicion or fear amongst the elite of Orlais? Cullen was an exhausted man, indeed.

      Luckily, Gilrin managed to broker peace between the competing rulers, and concluded ball without too much bloodshed. Gilrin had all odds against her at the Winter Palace, being a Dalish elf, but she managed to charm the nobility. Cullen wasn’t surprised though, she was beautiful, secretive, and intelligent, traits the nobility loved, and he knew if anyone could find a way to make an entire palace fall for her, it’d be his dear Inquisitor.

      He smirked at the thought. He knew that she couldn’t stand the ways of nobility as much as he, but she had them eating out of the palm of her hand. She had a knack for doing that.

Though the mission had ended favorably for the Inquisition, Cullen’s favorite part was sharing a private dance with the beautiful elf at the end of the evening. And Maker, beautiful she was in her shimmering golden dress that hugged her curves perfectly. He recalls her face, make up enhancing her already striking features, her vallaslin matching her glittering dress, how her hazel eyes shined in the moonlight on the balcony where they danced.

 

      She had asked him to dance earlier in the evening, and stupidly, he declined. _‘I should have said yes,’_ he thought to himself, as he paced his temporary room in their noble agents’ estate. He recalled the hurt of rejection on her face after he said no. _‘Cullen, you idiot, you’re just a man of missed opportunities.’_ He scolded himself. He had chance after chance this evening to spend time with her. He decided to keep his hands to himself, to behave. He regrets those decisions now. Every time she came to speak with him, he could’ve touched her, kissed her, told her how beautiful she was. Even before they left he had an opportunity to kiss her, but her tevinter mage wingman disrupted them, leaving him with a bitter feeling every time Cullen saw the man that evening.

His regret filled his every thought, as did the image of his lover. The way she looked at him all evening, a look that told him that she wanted his touch, caused his skin to burn. He placed his palms on either side of the window in the guest room, staring at the night sky. _‘Maker’s breath, it’s late… but,’_ he thought, unable to shake his lover from his mind.

 

He had an insatiable urge to see her one more time. _‘No harm in just… checking.’_ He thought to himself, making his way to the door. He exhaled as he closed it gently behind him, his heart rate beginning to increase. _‘Maybe this is a bad idea,’_ he thought as he made his way through the winding halls. _‘It’s late, she must be asleep, you should just go to bed,’_ he tried to convince himself, but his feet moved him ever forward.

He passed through the warm dining hall, glancing quickly over the railing at the noise he heard. He spotted Dorian, Josephine and Leliana below, all red faced and laughing at something. Of course, they had been celebrating. “Ah, our handsome commander shows himself!” Dorian called up to him. “And here I thought all of this fun was beneath you,” he slurred. “Well, technically,” Cullen began, glancing down at the trio. Dorian gave a hardy laughed and Leliana asked “care to join us, Cullen?” He politely refused their offer, and continued on his mission. Their laughter trailed off as he went further down the hallway.

 

He had reached the end of the hall, large ornate doors facing him. He saw a soft golden light emanating from underneath the doors. He swallowed hard, his mouth having become suddenly very dry. _‘She might be awake after all.’_ He stood in front of the doors, the heat in his belly overpowering the nerves that made his chest swell. He brought his knuckles to the door and lightly tapped.


	2. To See or to Touch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “well which is it?” “What?” He asked, confused. “Which one did you come here for?” He was giving her that look again. The look that made her feel like she was the only woman in the world, that made her feel like she might catch on fire. It bolstered her growing confidence. She grabbed his hand and placed a soft kiss on his knuckles. “Gilrin,” he practically whispered.
> 
>  
> 
> “Did you come here to see me,” she took a small step back, but still remained close, and kept hold of his hand. “Or,” she kissed his palm, “to touch me?” She kissed his wrist.

She sighed, long and heavy as she ran her slender fingers through her long dark brown hair. She had released her long locks from the intricate braids that had contained her hair all evening. She had been ready to pull her hair down halfway through the ball, but she knew Josephine would have disapproved, seeing it as indecent.

The braids made her hair curlier and unrulier than usual, her fingers snagging in tangles as she tried to brush them out. She sighed and gave up, knowing she’d need assistance detangling the mess later. _‘Perhaps Leliana and Josie will help when they return,’_ she thought. She looked to the opposite side of the room, catching reflection briefly in the large mirror leaning delicately against the wall. “Hmm,” she said aloud, and sauntered over. The skirt of her dress, laid strategically on a nearby chair, had trailed on the floor that was in her path. She gently nudged it out of the way.

 

She paused in front of the mirror, taking in her reflection. The cream colored corset she donned was simple in design, with a faint lace pattern, and matching smallclothes. The corset exaggerated her already wider hips and thighs, and accentuated her breasts. Her tousled hair added to her look. She turned in the mirror, looking at herself and she smiled. As uncomfortable as the dammed corset was, she actually kind of liked how it made her look. _‘Perhaps this is what Dorian means by ‘feeling sexy,’’_ she thought. _‘I wonder if Cullen might like this,’_ she added and sighed. It was a difficult evening, not being able to spend more time with him. She saw the way he looked at her, his eyes doing what he wouldn’t allow his hands or lips to do. She bit her lip at the thought of him, how his eyes burned when he saw her tonight, his tongue on his lips to moisten them, the closeness of their bodies when they danced together. She sighed, and placed her hands on her hips. _‘Creators, but this thing is tight. I need help with the laces though,’_ she thought, realizing she should’ve asked her friends before they left for more food and drink.

 

Just as she tried once more for the laces, she heard a light tapping on the door. “Finally!” She said aloud, “Come in!!” She called out. After a few minutes she heard the door open and softly shut. “It took you long enough! I thought you might have gotten lost,” she called out to the trio she thought had entered the room. “It’s about time either way, I can’t get this damn thing off!” She began to make her way into the lounge of her ridiculously large room. “Seriously, I’m ready to tear it… off…” she stopped in her tracks at who she found in her room. “C-Cullen!!” She said, surprised to find the tall blonde commander in front of the fireplace. “Gilrin,” His velvety voice greeted.

His golden eyes looked her up and down and he averted his gaze quickly, and she saw his cheeks turn pink. He cleared his throat, “Umm, I-I apologize, is this a bad time?” He kept his eyes glued to the ground. “Of course not why do you-?” She began, but stopped when she realized what she was wearing. She felt her face heat up instantly, “Oh,” Was all she could say. She crossed her hands over her hips, in an attempt to cover… something. She looked quickly around the room for something to cover herself with, but only managed to spot the shawl that matched her gown. She snatched it up quickly, and tied it around her hips.

“Would you like for me to leave, or-?” Cullen asked tentatively as she tied the golden material around her lower half. Her flush deepened as she realized the shawl was made of sheer material. _‘Well that was useless,’_ she thought, looking up at him. He was looking back at her, his cheeks darkened but his eyes were burning in that way that drove her wild. She felt a warm sensation spread through her body as he took her in again.

“No!” She said quickly, “I mean, no, I… I would very much like for you to stay.” She walked towards him, swinging her hips more than usual. Her confidence grew as she observed him watching her movements, his eyes lingering on her swaying hips. He licked his lips and brought his golden back to her green ones.

 

She smiled as she paused just in front him. “So,” she said, looking up at him through her dark lashes, “what brings my handsome Commander to my room at this hour?” She asked playfully. He blushed and laughed nervously as she brought her hands to his chest. His neck burned and brought his hand up to rub the annoying heat away. “I just wanted to um,” his mind began to get clouded as he gazed into her bright eyes. Her hands moved gently up and locked around his neck, and he cleared his throat. “To what?” She asked drawing closer, closing the space between them.

“I just wanted to touch-I mean!! I wanted to see you.” He said, his face turning redder by the second. “To um… to say goodnight.” Fighting the urge to rub the back of his neck once more. She laughed gently and asked “well which is it?” “What?” He asked, confused. “Which one did you come here for?” He was giving her that look again. The look that made her feel like she was the only woman in the world, that made her feel like she might catch on fire. It bolstered her growing confidence. She grabbed his hand and placed a soft kiss on his knuckles. “Gilrin,” he practically whispered.

 

“Did you come here to see me,” she took a small step back, but still remained close, and kept hold of his hand. “Or,” she kissed his palm, “to touch me?” She kissed his wrist. “Umm I…” He began, not quite knowing how to answer. She gazed up at him, her soft lips still planted on his wrist, while her other hand caressed the length of his forearm. He licked his lips again, feeling them dry out. Before he could form a coherent sentence, he brought the hand she held to her cheek, caressing it with his thumb. Her eyes widened in surprise for a moment, and a smiled spread across her lips.

“That’s the answer I was hoping for,” she said as he combed his fingers through her hair, cradling the back of her skull. She stepped forward, bringing her hands back to his chest, and trailed them down to his stomach, taking the fabric of the thin nightshirt he wore in her fists. He tilted her head up and brought his face closer to hers. She got on her toes, closing the remaining space between them, and pressed her lips to his. Gently, at first, before she brought one of her hands into his blonde hair, deepening the kiss.

 

They broke apart after a moment, Cullen pressing his forehead against Gilrin’s. “Maker’s breath, I’ve been wanting to do that all evening.” He breathed. “Mmmm, and I’ve been wanting you do that all evening,” she responded. Cullen pulled away, looking at her directly, “Gilrin, I’m sorry for my behavior tonight, it hasn’t been very,” he paused, searching for the words. “I’ve not been very accommodating to you,’ he was sincere in his apology, though he didn’t need to give one.

She kissed him again and said “you don’t need to apologize, Cullen,” She said. “I knew you wanted to, but it’s been a busy night,” she added, to reassure him, and kissed him again. He hummed into her lips in agreement.

She broke away, only to pepper more kisses along his jaw, his chin, the scar on his upper lip. He planted his hands firmly on her hips, gripping the thin shawl. She gasped at the boldness of his touch. She raked her fingers through his hair, her hand resting on the back of his head. He lowered his head, softly pressing his lips to her neck, below her ear. He took the lobe of her ear between his teeth, giving it an affectionate nip. She moaned involuntarily, rolling her hips into him.

Her cheeks darkened, her hand came up to cover her mouth but he caught it, moving his lips lower, nipping affectionately at her neck. She moaned again, her free hand grasping at his shirt. “Cullen,” she whispered, as he let go of her hand, his lips trailing a path from her neck to her shoulders. She ran her now freed hand through his hair again. His hands explored her hips more, pulling her closer to him. “Cullen,” she hissed, her fingers scraping the back of his neck. “Hmm,” he acknowledged, as he seemed to devour every freckle that decorated her shoulders. With her thumb and forefinger on his chin, she pulled him up to face her. “Kiss me."


	3. Goodnight

Her eyes burned into his and he pulled her to her toes, their lips crashing together. She grasped his shirt to keep balance, his hands on her waist helping. His tongue grazed along her lower lip, and he opened his eyes slightly, asking for permission. She happily complied with his request, humming at the taste of his tongue.

They exchanged their passionate touches, pulling each other as close as possible. She let go of his shirt, her hands traveling to his waist. The balance she had kept by holding onto him was momentarily lost as she moved her hands. He shifted and Gilrin lost her footing at that same moment, tripping over his feet, but quickly steadying herself. Not before biting down in surprise. Cullen hissed a curse and pulled away at the sudden pain. “I-I’m sorry!” She cried cupping his face in her hands. _‘Shit,’_ she thought, thinking she had ruined the moment. “Cullen, are you alright?! I’m so sorry,” she fretted. She brushed her thumb along his lip lightly. He chuckled lightly and said, “it’s alright,” his hands finding their place on her waist.

“We’ll just have to make you more comfortable,” he whispered in her ear, his hot breath on her skin made her shiver and she giggled at the sensation. He began to guide her back towards the wall, and she stepped lightly and carefully, her eyes never once leaving his. The crooked smirk she loved was on hip lips. They stopped when she felt her back against the wall.

She bit her lip as he tugged at the shawl, pulling it free from her body, and closed her eyes as his calloused hands lightly touched the exposed skin of her hips and thighs. She giggled again, this time out of nervousness.

They had usually stopped well before this point, and her confidence began to falter, as she was unsure of what to do next. Almost as if he could sense her uncertainty, but he gave her hips a reassuring squeeze and she looked up at him. He looked at her with such tenderness it nearly took her breath away. He kissed her softly as if asking for permission to go further. She nodded and kissed him back. His hands ventured a bit lower, and then behind. She gasped as he gripped her behind and hoisted her up, her legs wrapping around his waist, her hands clinging to his broad shoulders for support. He walked over to a nearby table and placed her on it. He fit himself comfortably between her thighs, running his hands up and down the soft flesh. She pulled him closer, now able to easily reach his lips.

 

“Better?” He asked, his breath hot on her lips. “Mmhm,” she said, her hand on his cheek, pulling him closer, resuming their kiss; mouths open, hands wandering and wanting. She took the opportunity to let her hands reach beneath his nightshirt. She felt the scars that battle had marked upon his body, and the muscles that years of training had gifted him. He groaned with approval as her lips traveled to his neck. “Gilrin,” he whispered, his voice like honey as he spoke her name. He massaged his hands along her hips and thighs. She rolled her hips against him and he groaned once more, gripping her thighs, her name a prayer on his lips. She began to trail her fingers down his taut stomach, stopping when she reached the laces of his trousers. She paused, looking up at him. He smiled, kissing her gently as she began to untie the laces.

 

A sudden, loud knocking at the door caused them both to freeze. They looked at each other, surprised. Gilrin muttered something Cullen couldn’t understand and he cursed aloud. They could hear loud laughing from outside the door. “Dearest Inquisitor, do let us in, this wine isn’t going to drink itself, you know!!” She heard Dorian slur from outside the door as Josephine and Leliana laughed. “Oh, Creators,” Gilrin didn’t hide her disappointment. “I should be going anyway,” Cullen smiled, stepping away from her. She stood up, grabbing his wrist. “You don’t-” she began, stopping him. He turned to her, his eyebrows raised in surprise.

“You don’t _have_ to go… I could send them away,” she said softly. He laughed and said, “My love, don’t tempt me. It’s hard enough to walk away as it is.” He said, tucking a strand of stray hair behind her ear. The soft touch brought a blush to her cheeks. “My love?” She asked, this time causing him to blush. He lowered his head, gently pressing his lips to hers one last time. “Goodnight, Gilrin,” he said, his voice so low she could feel it. “Goodnight Cullen. I’m glad you came by to _see_ me.” He laughed and said “as am I,” and took her in, kissing one last time. He turned and made for the door, her friends’ knocking growing more insistent.

 

The tipsy trio gasped in shock when the Commander opened the door. They took in his disheveled appearance, and the smirk on his face. “Evening Dorian, Lady Josephine, Leliana, he nodded at them and slid by, sauntering off down the hall. They watched him disappear, jaws agape. The hurriedly entered the room, even more shocked to find Gilrin in her state of dress. Dorian laughed, throwing an arm around their Inquisitor, giving her a look of approval as she covered her face. Josephine’s blush was deeper than even Gilrin’s. “Well,” Leliana started, “Maybe our Commander isn’t completely hopeless after all.”

 


End file.
